Archives for September 16, 2016

A coal powered power station would not be built at Sampur as was informed by the Attorney General to the Chief Justice but another power station would be commissioned there says the Minister of Power and Renewable Energy Ranjith Siyambalapitiya.

The Minister said this at a press conference held at the Ministry yesterday (15th).

All those residents of Sampur, journalists, organizations and political parties that supported the struggle against Sampur coal power station should be honoured and admired says the Member of the Political Bureau of the JVP K.D. Lal Kantha.

He said this speaking at a press conference organized by the ‘Eastern People’s Voice’ and held in Trincomalee today (16th) to respond to the government’s statement to Court that Sampur coal power station would not be constructed. The convener of ‘Eastern People’s Voice’ Arun Hemachandra, members Marimuththu Ganeshan and Thyagarasa Dineshkan also participated.

Speaking further Mr. Lal Kantha said, “The government ahs stated in Court that Sampur coal power station would not be built. We are really happy about it. For, on one hand people in Sampur and the media carried on a continuous struggle against building eh power station. The media, considering it as their responsible task joined people at Sampur to carry out a massive ideological campaign against the power station. The ‘Eastern People’s Voice’ too carried out a massive struggle complaining to the Human Rights Commission, poster campaigns and agitations. Certain political parties joined the struggle at different levels.

However, the victory is the result of the continuous struggle carried out jointly by the people living at Sampur and the media to prevent the harm the move would have on the country and the people. We honour and admire all those residents of Sampur, journalists, organizations and political parties that supported the struggle against Sampur coal power station.

We also thank and admire the organization that took the issue to the Supreme Court and carried out the necessary mediation to get the directive.

However, 505 acres of people’s lands in Sampur have been acquired for the power station project. Earlier there was a plan to have an industrial estate here. The government has not made any statement regarding the 505 acres acquired from the people. Some of these lands were used by the people in the area as pasture lands for their livestock. There are 12 tanks within this area of 505 acres. They are in a state of disrepair and deterioration. People in Sampur used the water in the tanks for their cultivations. The government has not told its stand about these tanks and the lands. Also, there is information that an attempt was made to erect a power station with India in this area.

Hence, the government has a responsibility to raise the standard of people’s lives in the area without stopping at a mere statement that the power station would not be built. The government should explain how it is going to raise the standard of lives of the people who suffered due to the attempt to build the power station. The government, the District Secretary, Divisional Secretaries, Grama Sevakas have a responsibility of making the people aware of the programme that would be implemented for the people who lost their lands. For, we still do not see any road map for the situation.

Even the likes of Mr. Sambanthan did not protest the building of a power station here. They wanted lands from another area for the people. They didn’t take into account the environmental issues. They never thought about the affects of Northeast Monsoon. Now they are claiming they too struggled against the power station.

They did not do anything. It was the people in Sampur who carried on a continuous struggle. What is needed now is land for the people, restoration of tanks, facilities for animal farming and a programme to raise the standard of living of the people in the area. A structure that includes relevant officials, Department of Lands, Divisional Secretaries, District Secretary, District Parliamentarians and people’s representatives should be established to take decisions and implement them.

Labour Commissioners are getting ready to take trade union action as authorities have not taken any measures to find solutions for the strike begun by labour officers which has continued for nine days.

The Union of Labour Commissioners has observed that the tug-of-war between the Minister and the Deputy Minister has been responsible for the delay in finding a solution for the issue. The Union of Labour Commissioners says they too would take trade union action if the conflict is not solved within the next few days.

If no solution is forthcoming within the next week they would, as a first step, launch a token strike and if this too doesn’t bring any result they would have no other alternative other than launch a continuous strike action say Labour Commissioners’ Union.

Meanwhile, Labour Officers Union has decided to launch a protest campaign in Colombo on Monday.

An attempt is being made by higher officials of the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) to undermine investigations being carried out in connection with the frauds committed in the CEB relevant to ‘Uthuru Wasanthaya’ and ‘Uva Udanaya’ projects begun during previous Rajapaksa regime state trade unions in CEB.

Mr. D.V.S.K. Fonseka, the official carrying out the relevant investigations, retired on 13th February and as the investigations were not completed the Board of Directors of the CEB decided to continue Mr. Fonseka’s service on a contract basis so that he could complete the investigation.

The investigation should have been completed by August this year but investigations regarding two managers in charge of ‘Uthuru Wasanthaya’ could not be completed and the Board of Directors decided to extend Mr. Fonseka’s contract by three more months.

It is reported that the investigations conducted so far have revealed a fraud of Rs. 400 million. As frauds of certain administrative officers and engineers would be exposed if the investigations are allowed to be completed, a letter, in an attempt to undermine investigations, has been sent to the Chairman stating that extending Mr. Fonseka’s service was not legal.

The investigations in connection with ‘Uthuru Wasanthaya’ and ‘Uva Udanaya’ are being carried out with the assistance of the CID. Hence, the investigations should be allowed to be carried out without any interference states trade unions.

In two more years it would be seventy years since independence and when looking back at the past 68 years it is evident that rulers who administered the country have destroyed it says Gypsies’ singer Sunil Perera.

He has no confidence in the the main parties that ruled the country and even after 68 years of independence the youth have to go abroad as refugees and the country has become a place that is not suitable for the youths to live states Mr. Perera.

Those who have come to politics as ordinary folk and have built mansions have definitely stolen public money, politicians continue to steal public property and this could be stopped only by giving the administrative power of eh country to the JVP said Gypsies’ leader.

Mr. Sunil Perera made these observations participating in the ‘Mathakada’ programme broadcast by ‘Ran FM’ radio.

He said some spend Rs.90 million to build Buddha statues expecting merit but there are many schools in the country where students have to study without desks and chairs and toilets either. He said this is a country where presidents open Buddha statues built spending Rs.90 million but such practices would not bring merit to them and if they really expect merit they should look after the poor children in poor schools.

Catholic religion teaches to ‘love thy neighbour’ but he is not allowed to attend mass as he is married to a Buddhist lady added Mr. Sunil Perera.